For 2022, Independence Motor Speedway declared that it would freeze the cost of a pit pass at $25. Furthermore, it added $2,000 to the total weekly purse for the divisions racing at the Iowa dirt track.
“Ten years ago, we went from $20 to $25 to get into the pits at our tracks,” said Mick Trier, 67, who promoted dirt ovals in several Iowa cities over the last 25 years. “Five dollars seems like a little, but it is not. When you add up the drivers, crews, families — a $5 increase per person, per night, adds up to a lot over the course of a season.”
Trier said the track received a mixed reaction to their announcement.
“We got it all,” Trier said. “Some top runners want us to charge more to get into the pits so we can raise the purses. They point out cars cost $35,000 and engines $10,000 to $15,000. Then, there are tires and fuel.”
Independence Motor Speedway strategically added to their weekly purse for 2022.
“We’re not the highest-paying track, and we are not the one that’s the lowest-paying — we’re in the middle,” said Trier. “Even though my costs have increased, I added another $2,000 to the weekly purse — to where and in which divisions I felt pay was lacking a bit. That came out of my own pocket.”
Trier said that racetracks face similar price increases as racers have experienced.
“Food prices all went up,” Trier said. “Because of Covid, we eliminated coins a couple of seasons ago. All of our food prices are rounded to the dollar. So, we’ll absorb the increases in the products we need.”
Trier learned many things over the years as a promoter. He applies those lessons to Independence Motor Speedway.
“The key to success in race promotion is not because of one thing or one person,” said Trier. “Start with having a good racetrack. Treat everyone fair. Run a fast, smooth program that’s on time. When you have to make a call, you need to make a fair call — no matter who or what the call is about.”
Mike Adaskaveg has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
